WWYD: School aged child travelling alone by plane

Would you let your child travel alone by plane? Obviously they wouldn't be REALLY alone as you have to use the unattended minor service so the flight attendants keep an eye on them. How old would they have to be for you to let them do this? Have you done this recently? What was your experience?

BG: I started travelling by plane back and forth between my dad and mom's when I was 6 at least 3-4 times a year but that was back in the 90's. My parents used the unattended minor service until I was 12, at which time it was no longer required and I was well versed in how to get around the airport by myself. We are considering sending 9 yr old DD to visit the IL's in FL (we're in CA) over Spring Break so DH and I can go on a cruise to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. She is a great traveller, but has never gone alone and I know a lot has changed since 9/11. Trying to figure out if this is a good idea of if i'm out of my flipping mind to consider it.

Comments (122)

I'm sure it's reasonably safe and I don't think anyone is wrong to send an unaccompanied minor, but I couldn't do it because I would worry too much.

Oh I would probably be a nervous wreck too, but just because she wouldnt' be with me. However, I feel this way pretty much anytime she travels with anyone but me- even if it's just in town and my mom picks her up from school. Statistically speaking it's more likely we'll get in a car accident on the way to or from the airport than a plane crash and that is the only thing that truly scares me. The chances are very slim that she's going to get lost on an airplane during a direct flight where we put her on the plane and the IL's have to pick her up from the gate with ID when she gets off on the other end.

"To me this is no more dangerous than having a babysitter come over to your house to watch the child."

Not remotely IMHO. A babysitter is a single person I've vetted and am comfortable with as opposed to hundreds of random strangers with whom my child will come in contact with. In addition to their being alone during turbulence (flight attendants will need to be seated and/or working). Also, having flown dozens of flights per year, I know how often they are delayed or other complications, and I'd prefer to be with my kids when that happens (exhibit A: we sat on the runway last year for 7 hours before the flight was eventually cancelled and we had to deplane, spend the night with no baggage and reboard the next day).

Yup. We took a cruise this past April - 4 days to Mexico from LA (technically Long Beach) on Carnival for $299 per person. It was actually a little cheaper than that because we had 3 people per cabin and the 3rd person was 1/2 that price. After all the port charges, tax, prepaid tips, etc the 3 of us paid like $875. When we flew to FL in August for SIL's wedding our plane tickets alone were $1200 for the 3 of us. That didn't include baggage fees or all you can eat buffet 24 hours a day and lodging.

I believe many airlines state that unattended minors can only fly non-stop now. Plus, parents can take them to the gate and the other adults can get a pass to meet them at the other gate. Therefore, the only time they'd be alone would be on the actual plane.

If you think your child is capable and if she thinks she's capable, I think it's a great idea.

If she is mature, and its a direct flight, why not? Get a guest pass and said for her at the gate. Then all the ILs have to do is wait for her to arrive. She will be on an airplane by herself, watch a few movies, that's it

I would go over emergency scenarios with her and encourage her to talk to a flight attendant about switching seats if she gets a sick gut feeling about someone sitting beside her. That she shouldn't feel shy to speak too the staff and to always trust her gut

My son is only 3, but when he is nine I can totally see us sending him off to visit his grandparents on a plane. Of course it helps that he is already an expert traveller. I have encountered minors flying alone on planes, and the flight attendants appear to be quite attentive, plus you can accompany her to the gate (and I assume her grandparents can meet her at the gate on the other side).

I don't even know what the protocol is anymore for that stuff though. I think we would have to get a special pass to be able to go through security with her and to walk her to the gate and be able to meet her there when she gets back, same with the IL's on their end.

^^^ That's exactly how it works. I've escorted my nephews and the airlines are pretty rigorous. My brother and Ex-SIL decided to change who was picking them up at the airport last time (on the day of, because doing nonsense like that is still their joint hobby) and though I made the appropriate changes to the paperwork at the departing airport the flight crew didn't record them on the gate paper work and I ended up getting a bunch of calls at four AM because they wouldn't release the kids to their own mother without confirmation. I was annoyed the airline screwed up with the paperwork but glad to see that the system works.

Anyway, I would be okay with sending a nine year old. My nephews started flying UM at 10 and 7 YsO with layovers and they actually loved it because everyone was really nice and they got to have free soda (I'm sure they were kind of PITAs with the call button, to be honest).

One note, though- every airline is different so you should find out the specific airline's procedures and make sure you're comfortable with them.

This is silly. Since when has this ever been a problem? It's fine. They are on a crowded plane. There is safety in numbers. Teach your child how to stand up for himself instead of shielding them like a snowflake.

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~Sharon~

"To raise nice kids, you have to talk to them like they are people instead of talking to them like they're property." -- Frank Zappa